South Beach Harbor Fee’s Headed North?

"According to documents on the South Beach Harbor website, now hosted on SFPort.com, the new custodians of South Beach Harbor, the marina’s operating expenses increased 15% and their deficit spending increased 400% (from $205,000 to $809,000). Occupancy is near 100%, and they have a 1,700-boat waiting list." This according to reader Cliff Delorean.

"Their solution to close the budget gap? Increase slip fees by 50%. South Beach Harbor currently charges between $8.58-$13.20/ft.They commissioned a market survey (see the Tattersall report on the website), and the report concluded ‘market rates for the slips are between $12.09 and $18.09 per lineal foot per month.’ This is mostly based on the facts that: (1) Schoonmaker in Sausalito has rates this high (median of all marinas surveyed is around $10.50/ft); (2) San Francisco Marina rates will go up to $10.81-$13.68/ft once construction is complete; and (3) With low vacancy rates throughout the region, tenants will have little choice but to absorb the rate increase."

The price hike recommendations will be presented to the Port Commission on July 12 at the Ferry Building. Apparently there will be a phase in of the price increases over a three-year period.

In other San Francisco berthing news, the Tenants Association of the San Francisco Marina says they will be filing suit against the City of San Francisco because the City’s Recreation and Parks Department is making tenants sign an agreement for temporary slip space while the marina is being rebuilt, an agreement the Tenants Association say will require them to give up the rights they have in their current agreement. The tenants object to the fact the new agreement means: 1) They will no longer have a permanent right to a slip; 2) They won’t be able to transfer their slip with their boat without an "unreasonable" transfer fee; And 3) they won’t be able to sublet their slips for up to six months each year as they currently do.